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Bill

H 131

An act relating to Reach Up grant calculation

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rey Garofano and 1 co-sponsor

H.131 changes Reach Up grants to use the current year subsistence level and remove the ratable reduction, with DCF administering the revised calculation.

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Human Services
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Bill Summary · H 131

Summary of H.131 (2025-2026) – Vermont

Purpose and intent

  • The bill, introduced in the Vermont House (H.131), seeks to adjust how Reach Up grants are calculated.
  • Specifically, it requires the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to:
    • apply the current year subsistence level when calculating Reach Up grants.
    • implement the department’s plan to remove the ratable reduction from Reach Up grants.

Key provisions and changes

  • Update to calculation methodology:
    • Use the current year subsistence level as the basis for Reach Up grant amounts.
  • Removal of ratable reduction:
    • Implement the department’s plan to eliminate the ratable reduction component in the Reach Up grant calculation.
  • Administrative action:
    • The change would be carried out by the Department for Children and Families (DCF).

Who/what would be affected

  • Recipients of Reach Up benefits (households receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) would see changes in grant calculations based on:
    • the current year subsistence level, and
    • the removal of the ratable reduction.
  • DCF would be responsible for administering the revised calculation formula and implementing the ratable reduction removal.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: Introduced and referred to the House Committee on Human Services.
  • First reading occurred on January 31, 2025.
  • No committee meeting history is listed in the provided records.
  • The bill text in short form does not include the full statutory language, but indicates the substantive change to grant calculation follows the subsistence level and elimination of ratable reduction.

Additional context

  • The bill is sponsored by Rep. Golrang Garofano (Essex) and Rep. Jubilee McGill (Bridport), with McGill and Rep. Rey Garofano listed as co-sponsors.
  • The intent aligns Reach Up policy with updated subsistence measurements and a simplified grant framework by removing the ratable reduction mechanism.

If you’d like, I can add a comparison to current Reach Up calculation formula or pull in related statutory definitions (e.g., subsistence level, ratable reduction) for a more detailed briefing.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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